Former Liverpool and England defender Jamie Carragher has warned the Three Lions stars of Euro 2020 stars that there is no such thing as ‘glorious failure’.
England can end their 55-year wait for an international title by beating Italy at Wembley on Sunday.
Gareth Southgate's side have the best chance after so many years of semi-final heart breaks since 1966.
And Carragher, who was part of various England sides who fell short at major tournaments, has told them that nothing short of winning will do.
Praising the new-look mentality of always wanting more that he has noticed in the current Three Lions crop, Carragher reckons that England are no longer scared of playing the top teams.
And with that comes the expectation to win, meaning there is no alternative but to emerge victorious against the Italians.
"The message that struck me in the immediate aftermath of the semi-final win was the management staff and players do not believe they have done enough yet," Carragher said in his column for the Daily Telegraph.
"Yes, there were triumphant scenes. Amidst that there was calm, everyone talking about the next challenge.
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"That is the mentality I have so often admired in German, Spanish, French and Italian players during my playing and post-playing career. None of those nations are content with ‘just’ reaching a final.
"Will Italy - four times World Cup winners - consider Euro 2020 anything more than a footnote in their glorious footballing history if they do not lift the trophy? Of course not.
"For elite footballers, there is no such thing as ‘glorious failure’. The term is riddled with contradictions. Glorious failure is the refuge of the underachiever seeking consolation amid the desolation of defeat.
"So how about we use the opportunity of England making their first major final in 55 years to make a confession? Our habit of romanticising our near misses since 1966 - most notably Italia '90 and Euro '96 - has been a source of bemusement to the leading nations. For too long we have had no choice but to cast ourselves as underdogs.
"When I played for England, even when alongside great players, there always seemed to be an acceptance that when we played the strongest nations we were not at their level, hoping our spirit would be enough against technically superior opponents."
